Former city councilor Jimbo Maristela criticized on Thursday the current Puerto Princesa administration for the major delays in infrastructure projects and financial irregularities, using the 2023 Audit Observation Report from the Commission on Audit (COA) as the basis.
Maristela presented the COA Annual Audit Observation Report, dated December 31, 2023, at a press conference he invited.
Based on the COA observation, numerous projects remained pending, although substantial funds had already been used.
The observation report revealed financial irregularities amounting to ₱152,030,231.93 in the Construction in Progress Ledger Cards (CIPLQ), which the COA deemed non-compliant with the Manual on the New Government Accounting System (MNGAS) for local government units (LGUs).
Maristela, an aspirant for vice mayor, showed that the ₱120-million flood control project in Barangay San Pedro, which started on January 15, 2021, is one of the city initiatives that have been delayed.
As of May 31, 2024, just 36.12% of the project has been completed, and ₱98 million has been utilized, even though the original completion date was July 8, 2022.
The COA observed that the project engineer said that the delay was due to a “manpower shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.” It rejected this claim, reminding that more than two years had passed since the height of the pandemic and that the project should have been completed by now.
Additional projects highlighted in the COA report include the flood control initiative in Brgy. San Manuel, which was allocated a budget of ₱160 million but was still in the Program of Works (POW) preparation phase as of December 2023. This is even though it is financed by the city’s 20% Development Fund from 2017 to 2023.
Phase II of the Puerto Princesa Sanitary Landfill, with a budget of ₱54.9 million, has incurred expenses beyond ₱30 million, however is only 56.16% complete, failing to meet its original completion deadline of July 14, 2021.
Furthermore, the Opening and Gravelling of Langogan Road, which has a budget of ₱31.2 million, is only 22.97% complete, even though more than ₱7 million has already been expended.
The Road Reblocking on Lomboy Road has a budget of ₱12.1 million and is currently 52.87% finished, showing delays in progress.
The COA emphasized that many city projects are still on hold because of bad management, planning issues, and delays in purchasing. Some projects were still in the buying stage, which caused delays in getting them started.
Maristela: not politics, but accountability
Maristela, who is running for vice mayor in the 2025 elections, denied that his statements were politically motivated, insisting that his actions were meant to ensure public transparency and accountability.
“Ito ay hindi pamumulitika, kundi isang obligasyon lalo’t muli nating inihahain ang sarili na maglingkod sa mga taga-Puerto Princesa,” he said.
He also called on the media to investigate the status of these projects and hold local officials accountable.
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“Kayo pong mga miyembro ng media, alamin niyo po sana ito sa pamahalaan ng lungsod, ano na po ang status niyan?” he added.
The City Hall has yet to issue a statement regarding the COA report findings.
